This invention relates to a hand and arm support made of thin, lightweight elastic material for reducing or preventing the effects of ailments such as tendinitis, arthritis and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, as well as cramping and fatigue.
Many workers perform repetitive hand movements for extended lengths of time, for example, stitchers, typists, assemblers and machine operators. Continuous, repetitive movements associated with these tasks may cause stress in the muscles, nerves and tendons of the hand, fingers, wrist and forearm. This resulting stress can possibly lead to injury and disability. One common injury associated with the stress of repetitive manual tasks is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, which involves the damage to the nerves and related tissues located in the wrist.
Several hand protectors have been proposed to prevent or reduce the effects of ailments such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. According to the patentee of U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,341 (Fabry et al.), a glove can he made of a pliable, sturdy, inelastic such as leather, and includes an elastic panel over the back of the glove to provide a secure fit. The patentee states that the glove also includes a pad secured to the glove body and extending from the wrist opening of the glove across the palm.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,241 (Berger) appears to describe a hand glove for use with vibrating machinery to absorb the vibration which may affect the wearer's hand. The patentee states that the hand glove is rectangular in shape and designed to wrap around the wearer's hand, with the hand glove terminating below the fingers. It appears to have a pad on the outside of the glove, in the palm area, made of leather to absorb some of the vibration from the tool being used. The hand glove also has an inside cushion adjacent the wearer's palm. The inside cushion is made of rubber, for example, to rest against the wearer's palm and further absorb the vibration of the tool.
The previous attempts provide gloves which may not alleviate the stress induced by repeated hand movements, and may not allow enough freedom of movement to enable a worker to perform some common manufacturing tasks comfortably and for extended periods of time.